Fission

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen
     It had just barely been a full day before Camila began to plan to break Jonah out. She couldn't stand the fact that he was mistreated in such a way. Even though the two were new to the compound, they had both worked and put in time and effort to help grow the community. Wade's true wolf skin was showing and Camila was not going to stick around to become his next meal. The old Camila would have high-tailed it out of there leaving Jonah behind, but this journey had helped to evolve her character. Not only would it be the wrong thing to do, Camila's heart would not allow her to leave Jonah. In fact, he had grown on her since that meeting in the barn. Feelings she could not quite put into words flooded her emotions at the moment, all she knew was she had to release him from that container, and the two needed to journey back into the world they had come from.

     Camila waited till darkness settled on the community. Packing a bag enough for the both of them, Camila exited the small place they were staying in and proceeded to climb the wall. It wasn't very high and with some effort before she knew it, she was up and over. Her landing was harder than she expected, but she was grateful none of the night guards heard the thud. Camila rose from the dirt and scanned the horizon looking for the container that Cade had put Jonah in. Her eyes soon spotted the large steel prison. From the looks of it, the thing looked like an old water tower that had fallen over. It now served as the cult's hot box for disorderly persons. Without any delay, Camila sprinted towards the overturned tower and climbed up the small ladder.
"Jonah..." she tapped on the door. A few moments passed before Jonah replied.
"Camila? What are you doing?" He asked on the other side of the metal.
"I am getting you out of here...and we are leaving." She spoke as she used a pair of stolen bolt cutters to break the lock holding the door shut. She cut the lock and as it fell to the ground, she quickly swung open the door.
"Come on lets go." She beckoned him to step out before glancing around to see if anyone might have heard them. Jonah moved as quickly as he could, but he was seriously dehydrated and weak from being inside the container. He was able to walk out the door and down a step or two before he lost his footing. He fell backward a few feet and landed on his back. The wind was knocked out of him and he lay there in pain for a moment.
"Jonah..." Cam cried out softly as she made her way down the ladder. Jonah's eyes focused on Camila a moment before the artwork on the side of the container caught his attention.
"Jonah..." she bent down to wrap her arm around his to help him up. As Jonah stood to his feet, his eyes focused more on the artwork before him. A giant whale with other sea life surrounding it in bright but chipped colors was painted on the rusting tower. Jonah desperately wants to leave with Camila due to the fact these people will never repent and overthrow Wade, but this picture before him makes him realize something. Something that God had tried to get him to understand this whole time but only now with this artwork does realize that he needed to stop running and help the people. He was called to be a preacher. To help others come to God, but just like his name and the Old Testament prophet
Jonah, he tried to run from God and his calling. This was his pivotal moment. Jonah needed to stop running and tell the people the truth. No matter the consequences, no matter how he felt, and no matter if they heard him or not. Jonah needed to tell them the truth.
"Camila...I can't. I can't keep running from this." Cam stopped walking and turned to face Jonah, who was still in the same spot.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, trying to keep her voice down.
"I have to stop running away from what God has called me to do. These people need our help." He was right, but Cam was afraid.
"Are you crazy? He will kill you, or he will have his second in command do it." She walked towards him.
"To live as Christ to die is gain. Cam, I have to try. These people are blinded by fear and falsehoods. They need someone to stand up for the truth."
"No matter the cost?" Cam asked
"You need to leave, go...I don't want you to be harmed because of what I need to do." Jonah held his head low. He could not bear to look at her. The silence lingered between the two for what felt like hours to him. Camile broke the silence with a word.
"No."
"Cam don't argue with me, just go."
"After all we have been together, you think I am just going to leave you?" She spoke boldly.
"Your God is my God, and he has seen us through a hell of a journey. I'm not going to just turn tail and run and leave you Jonah. I care for you too much to do that."
"I don't want you to get hurt."
"And I don't want to get hurt, nor do I want you to get killed either. If you are staying then I am staying. If you want to go, then I will go...either way Jonah Fox Gambino, you are stuck with me." Jonah couldn't help but crack a smile at the fact she used his whole name. He glanced up and could see her smiling at him. The way her eyes were lit up with joy and love and how her smile warmed his heart, Jonah couldn't help but feel something towards Cam. The way they stood there smiling at each other was the moment he saw her in a different light.
"If we make it out of this, I think I might marry you..." he confessed in a joking manner.
"You have to take me out on a date first." She teased.